Happy Holidays! I hope all of you are having the perfect holiday seasonl As the year and millennium
end we can reflect on so many awesome memories that have been made. I personally have had a wonderful
year and I want to thank Rising Sun for being a big part.of it!

Below is a short trip report of the last trail ride that was scheduled for 1999. I have been working
on the year 2000 calendar and will be posting some proposed trips/activities to both the Newsletter
and the RS web site. Please e-mail or call me soon and let me know of trails that you would like to
run this coming year. I would really like to schedule some new runs this year in addition to some of
the old favorites. I also plan on doing some family/social activities that will be a lot of fun and
great ways to meet and learn more about each other. I will be badgering you all at the meetings for
input and ideas so be forewarned. I'm not asking you to lead trails but rather just let me know
what and where YOU want to go play. I'm eager to get out on the first run of January as it's always
a great start to a fun 'wheeling year! The trail ride to Bill Moore Lake/Empire Loop was the perfect
ending to the 1999 year of 'Wheeling. 10 rigs showed up for an unusual November trail ride.
The vehicle line up was impressive and included the following, 2 FJ-40's,1 FJ-55, 2 FJ-60's, 1 FJ-62,
1 Tacoma, 2 Four Runners, and 1 Samurai.

We all met up on time and after airing down and locking the hubs we proceeded to conquer the mountain.
The vehicles with lockers took on a nasty rock filled chute as the non-locked rigs looped around and
watched them from the top. The "Big Boys" made short work of the chute and made it look real easy. From
there we took the route to Bill Moore Lake. As we bumped along the forest roads we all made Several
comments over the CB about the lack of snow considering it was the middle of November and we were
climbing well over 10,000 feet! The toughest challenge on this trail is a steep, rutted and very
rocky hill climb. Everyone did make it up even though it was a challenge for the open differential
rigs. The altitude also became a challenge for one of the FJ-60's as we climbed past the 11,000-foot
elevation mark. We encountered a large fallen pine tree very close to the trail end which we cut up
and relocated in the by pass that was getting made around it.

We had a nice lunch stop at the lake and then headed back down to the Empire Loop area. At the fork
in the trail three rigs decided to call it an early day and returned down the mountain to Empire. The
rest of the adventurous group, 7 rigs, decided to do the whole “loop." This proved to be a fun decision
full of many challenges. On this trek we encountered snowy side hills, numerous rock gardens, large
sheet metal hungry boulders, and the biggest problem, extremely tight paths and switchbacks. Somehow we
all made it through the whole loop with the only body damage being minortree branch "pin striping."
All the rigs to take on this section where lifted and had at least one locker except for the FJ-60
named Clifford, driven by Chris Colangelo and family. Chris definitely showed off his incredible talent
by piloting "Clifford" basically un-scathed through the nastiest of challenges while listening to
horrifying screams from the "rookie" passengers in his vehicle. The screams were more in fun than
actual fear but the effect was basically the same. The trip was a total delight and a very nice end
to the 1999 dry' wheeling season. The following day the high country started getting some real snow.

A big "THANK YOU" to all that attended! It was a fun day that will not be
soon forgotten!